Standing Hamstring Stretch

When asked to show a hamstring stretch, many people will do something like the image on the left… One leg up on the bench, probably off to the side and leaning into it. You’ll feel the pull down the back of your leg, so it must be hitting the hammies, right? Unfortunately, not quite.
To get a proper stretch of your hamstrings, you need to hit all the different parts (your hamstrings have four parts if you include the groin sections). It’s all about keeping your hips square!
To stretch your hamstrings thoroughly, you need to even up your hips and have your leg directly in front of you. Your leg can’t be off to the side unfortunately.

Try following the steps below, as shown in the image on the right:

STEP 1 : Place your foot up on a medium height surface. Don’t worry about aiming for a super high surface, it’ll only make you twist your hips.
STEP 2 : Place your hands on the front of your hips on both the left and right sides, and square up your hips so your hands are sitting in line with each other.
STEP 3 : Poke your bottom backwards, keep your back up straight and lean gently forwards.
STEP 4: Hold this for 30 seconds before switching to the other side.

This should feel like a nice stretch all the way up the back of your legs, into your groin a little and even into the base of your bottom. It shouldn’t feel like increased pressure on your your lower back, knees or ankles – if it does, stop that stretch and seek the advice of myself or another health professional.

Some tips: Don’t “bounce” this stretch, take it nice and slow. And just be careful not to apply too much pressure and keep it gentle! And remember to breathe deeply. As always, check with me or a suitable health professional for advice if you’re not sure about which stretches are best for you personally.